New data on the Zygentoma (Insecta, Apterygota) from Italy

The fauna of Zygentoma from Italy is reviewed and extended by new data. Ctenolepisma guadianica and Allacrotelsa kraepelini are new to Italy (the second one is also a new genus for this country). Neoasterolepisma crassipes is new to continental Italy and Atelura formicaria is new to Sicily. Neoasterolepisma angustothoracica (Grassi & Rovelli, 1890) n. comb., is redescribed.The Zygentoma fauna of Italy is composed of 24 species, 2 of Ateluridae (Atelura formicaria and Proatelurina pseudolepisma), 16 of Lepismatidae (Allacrotelsa kraepelini, Ctenolepisma algharbica, C. ciliata, C. guadianica, C. lineata, C. longicaudata, C. targionii, Lepisma chlorosoma, L. saccharina, Neoasterolepisma angustothoracica, N. balcanica, N. crassipes, N. wasmanni, Thermobia domestica, Tricholepisma aurea and T. gyriniformis) and 6 of Nicoletiidae (Coletinia maggi, C. setosula, C. subterranea, Coletinia sp. III, Lepidospora sp. and Nicoletia phytophila). A key to the identification of all these species is given.     

Mendeschilis a new genus of Microcoryphia (Insecta, Apterygota, Machilidae) from Spain

A new species and genus of Microcoryphia is described as a result of the detailed comparison of specimens from Italy and Spain which had been initially identified as Praemachilis excelsior. The new genus, named Mendeschilis has as its most important distinctive taxonomic characteristic the presence, in the male, of parameres in the VIII^th and IX^th urosternites, while Praemachilis (from Italy) has only one pair of parameres in the IX^th urosternite. Other anatomical characteristics which allow us to differentiate the new genus and the new species are described.     

Extinction behind our backs: the possible fate of one of the Darwin’s finch species on Isla Floreana, Galápagos

Without regular monitoring a rare species may slip into extinction unnoticed. We report a possible case from the Galápagos archipelago. The warbler finch (Certhidea fusca) has not been recorded by scientists on Isla Floreana in recent years, and we have been concerned about its status. On a two-day visit to prime habitat in the breeding season of 2004 we used playback of warbler finch song and calls recorded on another island to stimulate an approach of local birds. We failed to find a single warbler finch, whereas we encountered numerous small tree finches (Camarhynchus parvulus), medium tree finches (C. pauper) and yellow warblers (Dendroica petechia). Searches in 1979, 1983, 1997 and 1999 were also unsuccessful. Our continuing failure to find any warbler finches indicates the species must be extremely rare on the island, if not actually extinct. We discuss possible reasons for their demise and draw attention to other species that could be heading in the same direction.     

Modelling the effect of El Niño on the persistence of small populations: The Galápagos penguin as a case study

Small populations are vulnerable to long-term declines, even where short-term censuses indicate increasing trends in numbers. Census data for the Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) collected between 1970 and 2004 provide evidence that despite year-to-year population increases detected in most of the annual censuses, the strong El Niño events of 1982-83 and 1997-98 were followed by population declines of more than 60% from which the species has yet to recover. Such large declines raise concerns about the future viability of the species because the frequency and severity of El Niño events are predicted to increase. We used the simulation software VORTEX to evaluate the potential effects of El Niño on the risk of extinction of the Galápagos penguin population and its four constituent subpopulations. Weak and strong El Niño events were treated as catastrophes, with varying frequencies, which simulated past, current and future effects on the penguin population. The “Current El Niño” scenario, based on the frequency of El Niño events recorded in the Galápagos between 1965 and 2004, indicated an approximately 30% probability of extinction within the next 100 years for the penguin population. More ominously, the species may be at a greater risk if the frequency of strong El Niño episodes increases only marginally. A probability of extinction greater than 80% was predicted when the current frequency (5%) of strong El Niño events was doubled (to 10%). The probabilities of extinctions were higher for each subpopulation treated individually, ranging from 34% for Isabela and Fernandina, 64% for Bartolomé-Santiago to 78% for the smallest subpopulation on Floreana. Sensitivity analyses identified survival of penguins during El Niño events and sex ratio as influential parameters. The estimates of extinction risk may be conservative as other threats associated with increased human activities on the islands may further compromise species persistence.